Eugenio Yunis: ‘Beyond the legal aspects, the prevailing spirit in the UNWT

Eugenio Yunis: ‘Beyond the legal aspects, the prevailing spirit in the UNWTO is that there should be no third mandate’

11-04-25

In a new edition of the traditional PDA ZOOMADA, held on Thursday 10 April 2025, one of the most renowned international tourism leaders, Eugenio Yunis, joined the exchange of ideas and reflections. The virtual meeting was conducted from Madrid by Ramón de Isequilla and from Montevideo by Sergio Antonio Herrera, who spoke with the outstanding Chilean professional about key issues that currently affect UN Tourism.

Yunis, who has an extensive and respected career both in his country and on the global scene - including a central role in the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), now UN Tourism, where he became interim Secretary General -, spoke out firmly on the debate that has gained notoriety in recent months: the possibility of a third term for the current Secretary General of the organisation.

‘Beyond the legal aspects, the prevailing spirit in the UNWTO is that there should be no third term,’ Yunis stated with conviction, alluding to the resolution passed at the 2005 General Assembly held in Dakar, where it was agreed to establish an amendment to the UNWTO statutes limiting the possible terms of office for the Secretary General to two.

Although this amendment has not been officially ratified by two thirds of the member states - a necessary requirement for its full entry into force - Yunis considered that the symbolic and political value of this resolution should prevail: ‘It is true that only 32 out of 160 countries have ratified it so far, but in the context of international organisations this is not unusual. What matters is the institutional culture that is built around these principles’.

In this sense, the Chilean professional compared the situation with other agencies of the United Nations system, such as the WHO, the ILO, the WTO and UNESCO: ‘None of these entities contemplates a third mandate. It is a question of institutional ethics and democratic renewal.

During the interview, Yunis was also blunt in questioning the possibility of the current Secretary General aspiring to another term at the head of UN Tourism: ‘What is his legacy?’ he asked rhetorically, alluding to the lack of clear justifications to support an extraordinary re-election.

The programme hosts, Herrera and de Isequilla, introduced nuances and recalled some of the positions they have been holding in their respective columns in PDA Magazine. On the one hand, they acknowledged that the current regulations, from a strictly legal point of view, do not prevent the incumbent Secretary General from running again, since the 2005 amendment has not been formalised in accordance with the statutory requirements. On the other hand, they pointed to the absence of conclusive evidence regarding certain accusations of corruption that have circulated around the current secretary general, particularly those linking him to alleged irregularities within the Spanish government headed by Pedro Sánchez.

In any case, the conversation hinted at a deep concern for the institutional direction that UN Tourism may take in the coming period. Yunis stressed the importance of preserving the organisation's legitimacy and fostering a culture of transparency, alternation and respect for agreements, regardless of their legal status.

‘The UNWTO, today UN Tourism, cannot afford doubts about its guiding principles. If the ethical course is lost, the confidence of Member States and the entire international tourism sector is weakened,’ he concluded.

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